JP2020075041A - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a steam sterilizer that can easily check whether a chamber contains a sterilization object.SOLUTION: A steam sterilizer 1 has an electrification sensor 18 that detects the presence/absence of a sterilization object 100 in a chamber 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present disclosure relates to sterilizers.

  The steam sterilizer keeps the inside of the chamber that stores the object to be sterilized such as medical equipment sealed, and fills the chamber with high-temperature and high-pressure steam to kill microorganisms such as bacteria and Sterilize. Regarding the conventional steam sterilizer, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-137325 (Patent Document 1) discloses that a audible alarm is emitted and the sterilization is stopped when the sterilization is completed.

JP, 10-137325, A

  In the conventional sterilizer, it is difficult for an operator to confirm whether or not there is an object to be sterilized in the chamber with the door of the chamber closed.

  The present disclosure provides a sterilizer that can easily confirm whether or not there is an object to be sterilized in the chamber.

  According to the present disclosure, there is provided a sterilizer that includes a chamber that can store an object to be sterilized and that sterilizes the object to be sterilized in the chamber. The sterilizer further includes a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the object to be sterilized in the chamber.

  In the above sterilizer, the object to be sterilized may be housed in a container and housed in the chamber, and the sensor may detect the presence or absence of the container in the chamber.

  In the above sterilizer, the sensor may be a contact sensor that has a detection unit and detects the presence of the container in the chamber when the container contacts the detection unit.

  In the above sterilizer, the container is made of a conductive material, the detection unit is a pair of electrodes, the sensor is an energization sensor that detects the energization between the electrodes when the container is in contact with the detection unit. It may be.

  In the sterilizer described above, the sensor may be a switch in which the detection unit is physically displaced when the container contacts.

  The above sterilizer further includes an alarm device that outputs an alarm that calls the operator's attention, and when the sterilizer starts the sterilization operation, when the sensor detects that there is no object to be sterilized in the chamber, The alarm device may output an alarm.

  The sterilizer according to the present disclosure can easily confirm whether or not there is an object to be sterilized in the chamber.

It is a systematic diagram which shows schematic structure of the steam sterilizer of embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the electric constitution of a steam sterilizer. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of a steam sterilizer.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

  Hereinafter, a steam sterilizer, which is an example of a sterilizer, will be described, but the technical idea of the present disclosure may be applied to a sterilizer that employs another type of heating method, such as a dry heat sterilizer, or irradiation. It is also applicable to any type of sterilizer, such as a sterilizer that employs a gas method or a gas method.

  FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing a schematic configuration of a steam sterilizer 1 of the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the steam sterilizer 1 of the embodiment includes a chamber 10 capable of accommodating an object to be sterilized 100 represented by medical instruments such as gauze and scalpel. The object to be sterilized 100 is housed in a container 101 and housed in the chamber 10. The container 101 is made of a conductive material such as metal. The container 101 may have an open top shape, such as a stacking tray or a wire mesh basket. Alternatively, the container 101 may have a box shape having a lid that can be opened and closed on the top surface, such as a round caster or a square caster.

  The chamber 10 includes an openable / closable lid 11. The opening / closing lid 11 is attached to the side portion of the chamber 10. By opening the opening / closing lid 11, the sterilized object 100 and the container 101 can be carried in and out of the chamber 10. By closing the opening / closing lid 11, the inside of the chamber 10 is maintained in a sealed state. The opening / closing lid 11 corresponds to the door in the embodiment.

  A sterilization heater 12 is installed on the inner bottom of the chamber 10. The sterilization heater 12 is arranged so as to extend along the bottom surface of the chamber 10. The sterilization heater 12 heats the water supplied into the chamber 10 to generate steam. The steam sterilizer 1 sterilizes the object 100 to be sterilized with steam generated by heating the sterilization heater 12.

  Water is an example of a liquid supplied into the chamber 10 for sterilization. The water may be purified water (tap water), well water, distilled water or purified water. The liquid supplied into the chamber 10 is not limited to water and may be an aqueous solution such as physiological saline.

  Above the sterilization heater 12, a mounting table 13 on which the object 100 to be sterilized can be mounted is provided substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the chamber 10. An opening / closing sensor 14 is attached to the peripheral portion of the opening of the chamber 10 opened / closed by the opening / closing lid 11. The open / close sensor 14 detects the open / closed state of the open / close lid 11. The open / close sensor 14 may be composed of a magnetic sensor, a proximity sensor, a limit switch, or the like.

  A temperature sensor 16 that detects the temperature inside the chamber 10 is attached to the inner surface of the chamber 10 that faces the opening / closing lid 11. The temperature sensor 16 measures the temperature of the gas inside the chamber 10.

  The steam sterilizer 1 includes an energization sensor 18. The energization sensor 18 has a pair of electrodes, and the pair of electrodes is arranged near the inner surface of the chamber 10 facing the opening / closing lid 11. The pair of electrodes is arranged between the mounting table 13 and the inner surface of the chamber 10 facing the opening / closing lid 11. The container 101 housed in the chamber 10 is arranged so as to contact both of the pair of electrodes. When the container 101 made of a conductive material is in contact with both of the pair of electrodes, electricity is generated between the electrodes. The energization sensor 18 detects the presence of the container 101 in the chamber 10 by detecting this energization.

  The energization sensor 18 is an example of a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the sterilized object 100 in the chamber 10. The pair of electrodes is an example of a detection unit of the energization sensor 18. The energization sensor 18 is an example of a contact sensor that detects the presence of the container 101 in the chamber 10 by contacting the container 101 with a pair of electrodes that are detection units. The object to be sterilized 100 is housed in a container 101. Therefore, the energization sensor 18 can detect that the object to be sterilized 100 housed in the container 101 is in the chamber 10.

  The electrodes of the energization sensor 18 are arranged inside and outside the chamber 10. The wiring 19 is connected to the portion of the electrode protruding outside the chamber 10. The wiring 19 is electrically connected to the control unit 70 (not shown in FIG. 1).

  Instead of the energization sensor 18 that detects the contact of the container 101 with the pair of electrodes, a switch may be used in which the detection unit is physically displaced when the container 101 contacts. The switch is also an example of a contact sensor that can detect the presence of the container 101 in the chamber 10 by contacting the container 101 with the detection unit, and thus can detect that the object to be sterilized 100 is in the chamber 10.

  Alternatively, the presence or absence of the sterilized object 100 in the chamber 10 may be detected using a non-contact sensor. The non-contact type sensor may be, for example, a capacitance sensor or a weight sensor. The container 101 has a structure having a protrusion, the chamber 10 has a recess for receiving this protrusion, and a capacitance sensor for detecting whether or not there is a protrusion in the recess is provided in the recess 10 to form the chamber 10. It may be configured to detect the presence or absence of the container 101 inside. A configuration may be used in which a weight sensor that detects the weight of the chamber 10 is provided.

  The steam sterilizer 1 includes a water storage tank 20. The water storage tank 20 stores the water supplied into the chamber 10. The water discharged from the chamber 10 returns to the water storage tank 20. The water storage tank 20 stores the water discharged from the chamber 10.

  The chamber 10 and the water storage tank 20 are connected to each other by a water supply path 30, a drainage path 40, and an exhaust path 50. The water supply path 30 is a path for supplying water from the water tank 20 to the chamber 10. The drainage path 40 is a path for discharging water from the chamber 10 to the water storage tank 20. The exhaust path 50 is a path for discharging gas such as water vapor and air from the chamber 10 to the water tank.

  The water supply path 30 includes a water supply pipe 31, a water supply pump 32, and a water supply solenoid valve 33. One end of the water supply pipe 31 is connected to the water intake at the bottom of the water storage tank 20, and the other end is connected to the connection part 17 at the bottom of the chamber 10. The water supply pump 32 is provided on the upstream side (the side close to the water tank 20) on the path of the water supply pipe 31. The water supply solenoid valve 33 is provided on the downstream side (the side close to the chamber 10) on the path of the water supply pipe 31.

  The water supply pump 32 transfers water in the direction of flow from the water storage tank 20 toward the chamber 10 and supplies the water into the chamber 10. The water supply solenoid valve 33 is arranged on the downstream side of the water supply path 30 with respect to the water supply pump 32, and opens and closes the water supply path 30. The water supply solenoid valve 33 is in an open state in which water can flow from the water storage tank 20 to the chamber 10, and in a closed state in which the flow of water from the water storage tank 20 to the chamber 10 and the flow of fluid from the chamber 10 to the water storage tank 20 are prohibited. , Can be switched.

  The drainage path 40 includes a drainage pipe 41 and a drainage solenoid valve 43. The drain pipe 41 is a path through which water and water vapor discharged from the chamber 10 flow. One end of the drain pipe 41 is connected to the connecting portion 17 at the bottom of the chamber 10. The other end of the drain pipe 41 is connected to the water storage tank 20.

  A drainage solenoid valve 43 is arranged in the drainage pipe 41. The drainage solenoid valve 43 opens and closes the drainage path 40. The electromagnetic solenoid valve 43 switches between an open state in which fluid can flow from the chamber 10 to the water tank 20 via the drain pipe 41 and a closed state in which the fluid flow from the chamber 10 to the water tank 20 is prohibited. It is possible.

  The exhaust path 50 includes an exhaust pipe 51 and an exhaust electromagnetic valve 52. One end of the exhaust pipe 51 is connected to the ceiling of the chamber 10. The other end of the exhaust pipe 51 is connected to the water storage tank 20. An exhaust solenoid valve 52 is provided in the exhaust pipe 51. The exhaust solenoid valve 52 opens and closes the exhaust path 50. The exhaust electromagnetic valve 52 is provided so as to be able to switch between an open state in which gas can flow from the chamber 10 to the water storage tank 20 and a closed state in which the flow of gas from the chamber 10 to the water storage tank 20 is prohibited.

  The exhaust path 50 forms a path serving as an outlet from the chamber 10 of a mixture of air and steam when the inside of the chamber 10 is filled with steam for sterilization. Since the other end of the exhaust path 50 is connected to the water storage tank 20, the air-fuel mixture is discharged into the water storage tank 20.

  The steam sterilizer 1 also includes an air supply path 60 for sending air into the chamber 10. The air supply path 60 has one end connected to the chamber 10, an air supply pipe 61, an air filter 62 attached to the other end of the air supply pipe 61, an air pump 63 and an air supply solenoid valve provided in the middle of the air supply pipe 61. 64 and 64 are included. The air filter 62 functions as an air intake port for the air supply pipe 61. The air taken in via the air filter 62 flows inside the air supply pipe 61. The air pump 63 generates a flow of air from the air filter 62 toward the chamber 10 and supplies the air into the chamber 10.

  The air supply solenoid valve 64 is provided downstream of the air pump 63 (on the side close to the chamber 10) in the middle of the air supply pipe 61. The air supply solenoid valve 64 opens and closes the air supply path 60. The air supply solenoid valve 64 prohibits an open state in which air can flow into the chamber 10 via the air supply path 60, a flow of air from the air pump 63 to the chamber 10, and a flow of gas from the chamber 10 to the air pump 63. It is provided so that it can be switched between the closed state and the closed state.

  After the object to be sterilized 100 is sterilized in the chamber 10, the water vapor remaining in the chamber 10 is discharged to the outside of the chamber 10 via the exhaust path 50. Next, a drying process for drying the inside of the chamber 10 is performed. In the drying process, the air supply path 60 sends air into the chamber 10. After that, an operator who uses the steam sterilizer 1 can open the open / close lid 11 and take out the sterilized object 100 from the chamber 10.

  The steam sterilizer 1 further includes an alarm device 80. The alarm device 80 outputs an alarm based on the operating state of the steam sterilizer 1. That is, the alarm device 80 outputs an alarm that calls attention to an operator who uses the steam sterilizer 1 when the steam sterilizer 1 is in a predetermined specific operating state. The alarm device 80 may be a display such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or a liquid crystal, or a lamp, or the like, which issues a visual alarm. The alarm device 80 may be of a type such as a buzzer that issues an audio alarm. The alarm device 80 may have a specification that uses both a visual alarm and an audio alarm.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the steam sterilizer 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the steam sterilizer 1 includes a control unit 70 that controls the operation of the steam sterilizer 1. The control unit 70 is electrically connected to the opening / closing sensor 14, the temperature sensor 16, and the energization sensor 18. The control unit 70 receives an input of a detection result indicating whether the open / close lid 11 is in the open state or the closed state from the open / close sensor 14. The control unit 70 receives an input of a detection value related to the temperature inside the chamber 10 from the temperature sensor 16. The control unit 70 receives from the energization sensor 18 an input of a detection result regarding the presence or absence of the container 101 in the chamber 10, that is, the presence or absence of the sterilized object 100 in the chamber 10.

  The control unit 70 also has an input unit 71. An operator who operates the steam sterilizer 1 inputs set values such as sterilization temperature, sterilization time, and drying time to the control unit 70 from the input unit 71. The control unit 70 also has a timer 72 that measures a predetermined time. The timer 72 is used to control the sterilization time and the drying time of the object to be sterilized 100, and is also used to control the timing of water supply into the chamber 10.

  The control unit 70 further has a memory 73. The memory 73 stores a program for executing various operations of the steam sterilizer 1 in the sterilization process of the object to be sterilized 100. The control unit 70 executes various processes for controlling the operation of the steam sterilizer 1 based on the program stored in the memory 73. The memory 73 is a non-volatile memory and is provided as an area for storing necessary data. The memory 73 can store the operating state of the steam sterilizer 1.

  The control unit 70 corresponds to each control step of the steam sterilizer 1, the sterilization heater 12, the exhaust solenoid valve 52, the drain solenoid valve 43, the water supply solenoid valve 33, the water supply pump 32, the air supply solenoid valve 64, the air pump 63, and The control signal is output to each device included in the steam sterilizer 1, such as the alarm device 80. By appropriately operating each device in response to the control signal from the control unit 70, the sterilization process of the object 100 to be sterilized by the steam sterilizer 1 is surely performed.

  The characteristic operation of the steam sterilizer 1 of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described below. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the steam sterilizer 1. The operation of the steam sterilizer 1 of the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, in step S1, the sterilization operation is started. The sterilization operation in this specification means supplying water to the chamber 10, generating steam in the chamber 10 to replace the air in the chamber 10 with steam, and heating the chamber 10 until a predetermined temperature and pressure are reached. This is a series of operations in which the temperature and pressure are maintained for a predetermined time, water and steam are discharged from the chamber 10 after the elapse of the predetermined time, and finally the chamber 10 is dried. The sterilization operation is performed on the object 100 to be sterilized by performing the sterilization operation while the object 100 to be sterilized is inside the chamber 10.

  After the sterilization operation is started, in step S2, it is determined whether the object to be sterilized 100 is present in the chamber 10. In the case of the steam sterilizer 1 of the embodiment, the container 101 is present in the chamber 10 by detecting that the container 101 made of a conductive material is in contact with the pair of electrodes of the energization sensor 18 to generate electricity. Therefore, it is detected that the object to be sterilized 100 housed in the container 101 is present in the chamber 10.

  When it is determined that the object to be sterilized 100 does not exist in the chamber 10 (NO in step S2), the process proceeds to step S3a, and an alarm is output. The control unit 70 outputs a control signal to the alarm device 80 so as to output an alarm notifying the operator that the sterilization operation has started in the state where the object to be sterilized 100 is not present in the chamber 10. The alarm device 80 receiving the control signal outputs an alarm. Then, in step S3b, the steam sterilizer 1 is put in a standby state. The steam sterilizer 1 is kept in a standby state until the operator carries in the unprocessed object to be sterilized 100 into the chamber 10 and performs an operation such as restarting the sterilization operation.

  When it is determined in step S2 that the object to be sterilized 100 is present in the chamber 10 (YES in step S2), the alarm device 80 does not output an alarm.

  Then, in step S4, it is determined whether or not the sterilization operation is interrupted. After starting the sterilization operation in step S1 and before ending the sterilization operation in step S7, during the sterilization operation of the steam sterilizer 1, that is, after starting the sterilization process of the object 100 to be sterilized and before terminating the sterilization process. During the sterilization process, for example, when the opening / closing lid 11 of the chamber 10 is opened, it is determined that the sterilization operation (sterilization process of the object 100 to be sterilized) is interrupted.

  When it is determined that the sterilization operation is interrupted (YES in step S4), the process proceeds to step S5, and an alarm is output. The control unit 70 outputs a control signal to the alarm device 80 so as to output an alarm notifying the operator that the sterilization operation has been interrupted. The alarm device 80 receiving the control signal outputs an alarm.

  In this specification, the state of the steam sterilizer 1 in which the sterilization treatment of the object to be sterilized 100 has not been performed is defined as an unsterilized state. In step S5, the alarm device 80 outputs an alarm indicating that the sterilization process of the object to be sterilized 100 is interrupted and the operation is completed in the unsterilized state.

  Then, in step S6, the steam sterilizer 1 is put in a standby state. The steam sterilizer 1 is kept in the standby state until the operator performs an operation such as restarting the sterilization operation.

  When it is determined in step S4 that the sterilization operation has not been interrupted (NO in step S4), the process proceeds to step S7, and the sterilization operation ends. The sterilization process of the object to be sterilized 100 is completed by performing the normal sterilization operation. Subsequently, in step S8, the operator opens the opening / closing lid 11 of the chamber 10. The open / close sensor 14 detects that the open / close lid 11 has been opened. The control unit 70 receives an input of a detection result indicating that the open / close lid 11 is in the open state from the open / close sensor 14.

  Subsequently, in step S9, it is determined whether or not the object to be sterilized 100 is present in the chamber 10. The determination in step S9 is made similarly to step S2.

  When it is determined that the sterilization object 100 is present in the chamber 10 (YES in step S9), the process proceeds to step S10, and an alarm is output. The control unit 70 notifies the operator that the sterilized object 100 to be sterilized is in the chamber 10 and outputs an alarm for urging the sterilized object 100 to be removed from the chamber 10. , And outputs a control signal to the alarm device 80. The alarm device 80 receiving the control signal outputs an alarm.

  The operator, who recognizes that the sterilized object 100 has been sterilized by the alarm, takes out the sterilized object 100 from the chamber 10 in the next step S11.

  When it is determined in step S9 that the object to be sterilized 100 does not exist in the chamber 10 (NO in step S9), steps S10 and S11 are skipped. The alarm device 80 does not output an alarm if the object to be sterilized 100 is not inside the chamber 10 when the opening / closing lid 11 is opened after the sterilization operation is completed. The determination in step S9 may be omitted, and if the operator opens the opening / closing lid 11 of the chamber 10 in step S8, the process may proceed to step S10 and an alarm may be output.

  After the processing of step S11 or the determination of step S9, the unprocessed object 100 to be sterilized is carried into the chamber 10 in step S12. From the state in which there is no sterilized object 100 in the chamber 10 due to the determination of NO in step S9 or the removal of the sterilized object 100 in step S11, the unprocessed sterilized object 100 is loaded into the chamber 10 in step S12. By the processing, it is determined that the object 100 to be sterilized is in the chamber 10 and the state has transitioned to the unsterilized state. Since the opening / closing lid 11 of the chamber 10 remains open in step S8, the opening / closing lid 11 is opened in the unsterilized state in step S12.

  Next, in step S13, an alarm is output. Since the object to be sterilized 100 that has not been sterilized is in the chamber 10, the control unit 70 outputs an alarm to notify that the object to be sterilized 100 in the chamber 10 should not be taken out from the chamber 10. The control signal is output to the container 80. The alarm device 80 receiving the control signal outputs an alarm.

  In the following step S14, the opening / closing lid 11 is closed. The open / close sensor 14 detects that the open / close lid 11 is closed. The control unit 70 receives an input of a detection result indicating that the opening / closing lid 11 is in the closed state from the opening / closing sensor 14.

  When the opening / closing lid 11 is closed, the process proceeds to step S15, and the steam sterilizer 1 is placed in a standby state. Upon receiving the detection result input from the open / close sensor 14, the control unit 70 outputs a control signal to the alarm device 80 so as to stop the output of the alarm. The alarm device 80 that has received the control signal stops outputting the alarm. In this state, the control unit 70 may output a control signal to the alarm device 80 so as to output an instruction to prompt the operator to start the sterilization operation. The steam sterilizer 1 is in a standby state until the operator performs an operation for sterilizing the next object to be sterilized 100.

  Which of the steps shown in FIG. 3 the steam sterilizer 1 is operating is stored in the memory 73 each time. The memory 73 stores the operating state of the steam sterilizer 1. The memory 73 stores whether the steam sterilizer 1 is in a state before the sterilization operation is completed or after the sterilization operation is completed.

  The memory 73 is a non-volatile memory, and retains the stored contents even when the steam sterilizer 1 is powered off. When the power supply to the steam sterilizer 1 is cut off due to a power failure and the power supply is restored thereafter, the memory 73 stores the operating state before the power supply cutoff. When the opening / closing lid 11 is opened after the power failure occurs, the alarm device 80 can output an alarm based on the operation state stored in the memory 73 before the power failure occurs.

  Although there is some overlap with the above description, the characteristic configuration and operational effects of the steam sterilizer 1 of the embodiment will be summarized as follows. It should be noted that reference numerals are given to the configurations of the embodiments, but this is an example.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the steam sterilizer 1 includes a sensor that detects the presence or absence of the object 100 to be sterilized in the chamber 10. With such a configuration, it is possible to easily confirm whether or not the sterilized object 100 is present in the chamber 10 based on the detection result of the sensor.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the object to be sterilized 100 is housed in a container 101 and housed in a chamber 10. The sensor detects the presence or absence of the container 101 in the chamber 10. When the sensor detects the container 101 in the chamber 10, it can be confirmed that the object to be sterilized 100 housed in the container 101 is in the chamber 10. In addition, it is possible to prevent the object to be sterilized 100 from being sterilized without being housed in the container 101.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor is a contact sensor that detects the presence of the container 101 in the chamber 10 when the container 101 contacts the detection unit. When the container 101 is carried into the chamber 10, the container 101 comes into contact with the detection unit, so that the sensor reliably detects that the container 101 is in the chamber 10 and therefore the object to be sterilized 100 is in the chamber 10. can do.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the container 101 is made of a conductive material, the detection unit of the sensor is a pair of electrodes, and the sensor detects the electric current generated between the electrodes when the container 101 is in contact with the detection unit. It is the energization sensor 18. Alternatively, the sensor may be a switch in which the detector physically displaces when the container 101 contacts. By doing so, the presence or absence of the container 101 in the chamber 10 can be reliably detected with a simple configuration.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the steam sterilizer 1 further includes an alarm device 80 that outputs an alarm that calls the operator's attention. As shown in FIG. 3, when the steam sterilizer 1 starts the sterilization operation and the sensor detects that the object 100 to be sterilized is not present in the chamber 10, the alarm device 80 outputs an alarm. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the operator from unintentionally performing the sterilization operation in a state where the object to be sterilized 100 is not stored in the chamber 10, and it is possible to avoid the occurrence of wasteful work.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description but by the scope of the claims, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the scope of the claims and all modifications within the scope.

  1 steam sterilizer, 10 chamber, 11 opening / closing lid, 12 sterilization heater, 13 mounting table, 14 opening / closing sensor, 16 temperature sensor, 17 connecting part, 18 electricity sensor, 19 wiring, 20 water tank, 30 water supply path, 31 water supply pipe , 32 water supply pump, 33 water supply solenoid valve, 40 drainage passage, 41 drainage pipe, 43 drainage solenoid valve, 50 exhaust passage, 51 exhaust pipe, 52 exhaust solenoid valve, 60 air supply passage, 61 air supply pipe, 62 air filter, 63 Air pump, 64 air supply solenoid valve, 70 control unit, 71 input unit, 72 timer, 73 memory, 80 alarm device, 100 sterilized object, 101 container.

Claims (6)

A sterilizer comprising a chamber capable of storing an object to be sterilized and sterilizing the object to be sterilized in the chamber,
A sterilizer comprising a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the object to be sterilized in the chamber. The sterilized object is housed in a container and housed in the chamber,
The sterilizer according to claim 1, wherein the sensor detects the presence or absence of the container in the chamber.   The sterilizer according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is a contact sensor that has a detection unit and that detects the presence of the container in the chamber when the container contacts the detection unit. The container is made of a conductive material,
The detection unit is a pair of electrodes,
The sterilizer according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is an energization sensor that detects energization that occurs between the electrodes when the container is in contact with the detection unit.   The sterilizer according to claim 3, wherein the sensor is a switch in which the detection unit is physically displaced when the container comes into contact with the sensor. Further provided with an alarm device that outputs an alarm that calls attention to the worker,
The alarm device outputs an alarm when the sensor detects that the object to be sterilized does not exist in the chamber when the sterilizer starts a sterilization operation. The sterilizer described.

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